Yarn feed mechanism for circular knitting machines



E. NESTEL 3,418,830

YARN FEED MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Dec. 31, 1968 I of 5 Sheet Filed May 24, 1966 I Inventor:

Emll Neale! Dec. 31, 1968 YARN FEED MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 24, 1966 E. NESTEL 3,418,830

E. NESTEL 3,418,830 YARN FEED MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Dec. 31, 1968 J" of 5 Sheet Filed May 24, 1966 United States Patent 3,418,830 YARN FEED MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Emil Nestel, Reutlingen-Betzingen, Germany, assignor to Emil Nestel KG., Reutlingen-Betzingen, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed May 24, 1966, Ser. No. 552,484 Claims priority, application Germany, June 22, 1965, N 26,927 6 Claims. (Cl. 66125) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cover thread guide arrangement for supplying a cover thread eccentrically of the axis of a knitting machine; a core filament supply spool is suspended centrally of the axis of the machine. The holder for the core filament is rotatable with respect to a pair of guides receiving the eccentrically supplied cover thread, the guides being driven with respect to the machine via planetary gearing so that the core filament supply spool holder will be stationary with respect to the machine and the cover thread will balloon out with the holder located within the space formed by the ballooning thread.

The present invention relates to a yarn feed mechanism particularly for circular knitting machines and the like and more particularly to a mechanism to supply a cover thread and a core thread to make knitted tubes, cords having a central core and the like.

It is known to utilize circular knitting machines for the manufacture of such gOOdS, which have a fixed needle cylinder, with a drive arrangement for the needles which may include an eccentrically operating part, a swash plate, wobble plate, or the like. Such machines include a guide arrangement for the filament supply thread which is rotatable with respect to the needle cylinder and which guides at least one, or more than one thread from a fixed supply spool to the needles. The supply spool, or spools are placed usually on a fixed holder, readily accessible for exchange when the thread runs out, or if a different color is desired.

Small diameter tubular goods having a core filament provide the tubular goods with a fuller aspect and additionally strengthen the material. Such goods cannot be made on the normal circular knitting machine, above referred to, due to the difficulty of supplying the central, or core filament to the needle cylinder, where it is to be covered. The central, or core filament may get tangled with the cover thread; additionally, the central or core filament may be subject to a twist which distorts the finished material.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a yarn feeding mechanism, particularly for use with a circular knitting machine which permits the manufacture of small diameter tubular goods having a central core filament, which is simple, and which does not introduce a twist to the central core in operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a thread guiding arrangement for a circular knitting machine, which can be added to existing machines to modify such existing machines to be capable of operating with a central or core filament.

Briefly, in accordance with the present invention, a guide means for the cover thread is provided which revolves about an axis, concentric with or parallel to the axis of the needle cylinder. The guide means consist of a pair of spaced support elements, the core filament supply spool being arranged therebetween. A central guide hole is provided in the element nearest the needle cylinder ice to draw off the core filament. Each one of the spaced elements is formed with an eccentrically located thread guiding hole for the cover thread. When the guide plates are rotated, the cover thread will balloon out and interference between the cover thread and the core filament is avoided, thus preventing tangling. In order to prevent twist being applied to the central filament, its holder is rotatably mounted with respect to the guide elements. A planetary gearing is arranged in such a manner that, as the guide elements are driven or rotated, the holder for the central or core filament remains stationary in space, or with respect to the machine, and also with respect to the take-up mechanism, thus preventing twist.

The structure, organization and operation of the invention will now be described more specifically in the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical, axial cross-sectional view, partly in a section with the thread guide rotated into the plane of the paper for better illustration thereof;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the apparatus with the top cover removed;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on lines III-III of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view along lines 1V IV of FIG. 1.

The machine, insofar as it is known and standard, is not shown; the needle cylinder is indicated schematically at 1 in dashed lines only, in FIG. 1. It is driven, as is well known in the art, by apparatus not shown. The manufactured goods are taken up by a take-up reel, likewise not shown, through the central opening 2 of the needle cylinder 1. It is continuously withdrawn downwardly. The central axis of the thread supply arrangement is illustrated at 8.

A cover thread guide 3, as known in the art, is an ranged above the needle cylinder 1, as clearly appears in FIG. 1. The thread guide 3 guides the cover thread to the knitting points; it is understood that a plurality of such thread guides 3 can be arranged for a plurality of cover threads. The central, or core filament, 4 is introduced as the core of the goods to be covered; and is paid out from a supply spool or reel 5 arranged on a holder shown as a shaft 6, journalled in a frame 20. Shaft 6 is supplied with a tensioning brake as is well known in the art, schematically illustrated. The support of frame 20 in the machine will be described in detail below.

Core filament 4 is guided by a core filament guide 7 into the center of the needle cylinder 1, which center is offset with respect to axis 8. The central core filament passes through a central guide opening or guide channel 27 arranged within a thread guiding part 9a, which is rotatable with respect to the machine. The cover thread guide 3 is secured to the part 9a, and rotated therewith. Core filament guide 7 is likewise secured thereto, to rotate therewith and to guide the thread as indicated. Since the axis of the core filament supply spool 5 does not rotate with respect to the apparatus, but is fixed in space, the central core filament 4 is withdrawn downwardly from the supply reel 5 without introducing any twist to the central core filament 4. The Withdrawal of the central core filament 4 is obtained together with the withdrawal of the finished goods, that is by the take-up mechanism (not shown) standard in the art and usual in combination with machines of this type. It is to be noted that the cover thread which is used to manufacture the goods, that is which manufactures the tube surrounding the central core 4, and shown at 9, is arranged at the side and parallel to the central axis of the needle cylinder, and of the filament 4. Thus, the central filament 4 is placed into the opening of the circular knitting machine, essentially along its central axis, whereas the cover thread 9 is applied to the knitting point at the side. Since all the needles of the needle cylinder have to be supplied evenly and continuously with the cover thread, the cover thread guide rotates about the axis of the needle cylinder. The cover thread 9 itself is obtained from a supply spool, not shown, which is arranged as is well known in the art on a spool holder above the cylinder, and above the driving arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1. Such a spool holder is likewise secured to the knitting machine apparatus and is fixed in space.

As the guide for the cover thread rotates, the cover thread 9 will balloon-out due to centrifugal force. The core filament supply reel is arranged to be located within the balloon formed by the thread, and stationary in space. This arrangement insures that on the one hand the core filament does not twist with respect to the goods, so that the goods are withdrawn smoothly, and further that the supply paths of the core filament and the cover thread are entirely separate so that tangling is avoided. Additionally, the supply thread holder is arranged in such a manner that it can be readily replaced without mechanical disassembly.

The core filament supply reel is supported, fixed in space, on frame 20. The entire assembly is supported from the apparatus by a pair of posts 10, to which a base plate 11' is attached. The remainder of the guide arrangement may be built up as an attachment to an existing machine. A pair of vertical posts 10, secured to base plate 11', support therebetween a ring 11, forming a fixed support for a bearing 12. Rotatable with respect to the ring 11, on bearing 12, is a top guide plate 13. Planetary gears 14, 15, 16 (FIG. 2) are secured to guide plate 13. Planetary gear wheel 14 meshes with internal gearing 17 formed on a gear ring 18 secured to ring 11, and thus fixed in space and to the machine. Top guide plate 13 is formed with a central bore in which a shaft 19 is journalled and to which the support frame 20 of the central or core filament supply reel 5 is mounted. The upper part of shaft 19 is fixed to sun gear 21. Gear 16 is an idler gear, which meshes with gear 15, secured to gear 14, meshing with the internal teeth 17. When the top guide plate 13 is rotated, planetary gear 16 will rotate; the gear ratios are so chosen that, when planetary gear 16 rotates against the sun gear 21, sun gear 21 and with it frame 20 remains stationary with respect to the gear ring 18, and therefore stationary with respect to the apparatus, and in space. Since the sun gear 21 is connected with the holder 20 for the core filament 4, the core filament supply reel 5 is held stationary in space in spite of the rotation of the guide plate 13 for the cover thread 4.

Top guide plate 13 is driven over a rigid frame 22, which is secured to a lower plate, or cross member 22', by vertical posts 31. Connecting screws 23 connect cross piece 22' with a boss which is secured to the part 9a. Frame 22, 31, 22' laterally embraces the core filament supply reel 5. Lower thread guide 9a is connected to a gear 24 which meshes with a gear 25, driven by shaft 26 which is driven in turn from the main drive shaft of the knitting machine. This insures that the guide 3 for the cover thread 9, and upper guide plate 13 always rotate synchronously, as the core filament 5 remains stationary in space, and with respect to the machine, thus preventing twist upon takeup of the finished goods.

The thread guide part 9a is formed with a thread channel 27 for the core filament 4, located along the axis of rotation of the upper guide 13 and the lower guide 9a. Guide holes or channels for the cover thread are eccentric with respect to that axis, and parallel thereto. In the upper guide part, channel 29 is provided and in the lower one, channel 28 passes through guide part 9a. Additionally, thread guides 30, which may have channels or eyes formed therein and adjustably mounted on uprights 31, may be provided as shown, in order to guide the thread at the side of the core supply reel 5. In FIG. 1,

thread guides 30, clamped on frame part 31, are illustrated in the plane of the paper, so that their relative sizes with respect to the apparatus are seen. In operation, they would be swung out of this plane so that the frame 20 and ends of reel 5 do not interfere with the thread guides 30.

To compensate for eccentric weights, a counterweight 32 secured -by a screw 42 is secured to upper guide 13 (FIGS. 1, 2). The planetary gearing is closed off against dirt by a cover plate 33 likewise formed with an opening to provide for the guide channel 29 for the cover thread.

The planetary'gear need not be driven over a frame 22, 31, 22', but may be driven by a separate shaft coupled to shaft 26 or arranged as an extension thereof and outside of the balloon formed by the rotating thread 9. The planetary gearing may also be arranged within the lower thread guide assembly, and in connection with the thread guide part 9a; the holder 20 may hold the core filament in the position shown, or rotated so that the filament is pulled off from a vertically standing reel, preferably associated with an additional thread guide to change the direction of payout of the thread.

The cover thread guide 3, as well as the core filament guide 7 may be displaced both vertically, as well as horizontally with respect to the central axis of the needle cylinder. FIG. 1 shows such a side displacement. They may also be arranged coaxially, in which case the central core 4 is preferably guided straight into the axis of the knitting machine. When the apparatus is not coaxial with respect to the needle cylinder, it is at times preferable to guide the core filament, in the region above the needle cylinder, in such a manner that it is slightly displaced laterally as shown in FIG. 1. The core filament 4 will, however, enter the knitting machine at the axis as above discussed.

I claim:

1. In a yarn feed mechanism for machines in which a cover thread is knitted on a needle cylinder into small diameter tubular goods surrounding a core filament, a cover thread guide arrangement, said arrangement comprising a drive means; a pair of guide means driven by said drive means and revolving about an axis and spaced axially from each other, said guide means receiving the cover thread eccentrically of said axis; a core filament supply spool holder, said holder being arranged in space between said spaced guide means; means supporting said holder from at least one of said guide means to be rotatable with respect to said guide means and fixed in space with respect to said axis, said guide means guiding the cover thread laterally of said core filament such that upon rotation of said guide means, the cover thread will balloon out and the core filament holder will be located within the space formed by the ballooning thread, a core filament guide opening formed in one of said guide means and means on said one guide means for directing the core filament internally of the needle cylinder and for delivering the cover thread laterally thereof to needles of the cylinder whereby no twist is imparted to the core filament during fabrication of the goods.

2. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1 including planetary gearing interconnecting said core filament holder support means and said guide means, supporting same said gearing being selected with such a gear ratio that upon rotation of said guide means said holder will be stationary within the machine.

3. Arrangement as claimed in claim 2 wherein said machine includes a support, an internal gear secured on said support, a gear wheel meshing within said internal gear and connected to said guide means supporting said holder, said guide means being located on said support to be rotatable therewithin; a shaft rotatable with respect to said guide means and located centrally thereof, said shaft supporting said core filament holder; and a sun gear in rotation transmitting engagement with said gear wheel secured to said shaft.

4. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pair of guide means includes a lower, and an upper guide assembly, each formed with an eccentrically located cover thread guide opening; said core filament guide opening being concentric with said axis in said one of said guide assemblies.

5. Arrangement as claimed in claim 4 including a main drive shaft; a frame secured to said guide assemblies and extending around said core filament supply spool and said support means therefor; one of said guide assemblies supporting said support means to be rotatable with respect thereto, and the other of said guide means being connected in driving relation to said main drive shaft; said central guide opening formed in said lower guide assembly passing said core filament without introducing twist thereto towards said needle cylinder.

6. Arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means for delivering the cover thread laterally of the needles comprises thread guide means connected to said lower guide assembly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 648,347 4/1900 Wardall 669 2,364,560 12/ 1944 Stover 669 FOREIGN PATENTS 32,530 8/1885 Germany.

ROBERT R. MACKEY, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 669 

